YouTubers are upscaling the past to 4K. Historians want them to stop
YouTubers are using AI to bring history to life. But historians argue the process is nonsense
Many old films & pix are deteriorating despite best efforts, and will be lost forever if not placed in/on another matrix
Neural Love spells this out to clients who want video colourising and smoothing. “We're very clear about this: it's not historically accurate,” says Peck. “It's a neural network making a best guess estimation based on the vectors that are present in the film.”
I don't see the problem. If new technology can enhance old footage then good. I've watched a lot of enhanced footage on YouTube and I think it is extraordinary. Having grown up watching jerky old footage played at the wrong frame rate ect and loving history as I do I think it is amazing what they do now. They complained when they digitized music; they complained when they colorized movies, so I'm not surprised about this. If they don't like it then watch the jerky grainy original footage on archives.
. . . hmmmm, I doubt that a multi-mega-pixel digitization of the Mona Lisa would be worth more than the original.
@FearlessFly the difference is the Mona Lisa is to be admired for what it is. Early film footage is poor and benefits from enhancement. Also, they have scanned and analysed the Mona Lisa, revealing hidden features, if one is interested. As long as the original of anything is secured, what does it matter if some wish to apply high tech techniques to it.